1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to container forming machines. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention pertain to systems, apparatuses, and methods for forming and erecting Bliss-style containers from pre-cut material blanks.
2. Background and Description of Related Art
There is an ever increasing need for better containers to hold commodities having various sizes, shapes and dimensions such as fresh fruits and vegetables, canned and bottled goods, and a wide variety of other products. As new products are developed, new requirements for packing, shipping and storing various quantities of such products arise. Every time such requirements arise, or a new product is developed, there is a need for a new container design, as well as a machine to manufacture it.
In the packaging industry, numerous fiberboard containers and designs have been developed over the years. Such containers are typically constructed of a corrugated material. These materials may be single face corrugated, single wall (double-faced) corrugated, double wall corrugated, triple wall corrugated, etc. Containers may also be made of other paperboard products including, without limitation, container board, boxboard, linerboard, and cardboard.
Many different container box styles and types have also been developed over the years, each being optimally suited for one or more particular products or industries. Slotted box styles include such types as regular slotted containers (RSC), overlapped slotted containers (OSC), full-overlapped slotted containers (FOL), center special slotted containers (CSSC), bag-in-box containers, center special overlapped slotted containers (CSO or CSOSC), center special full-overlapped slotted containers (SFF), and snap-bottom boxes, among others. Telescoping boxes include such types as full-telescope design-style boxes (FTD), full-telescope half-slotted boxes (FTHS), partial-telescope design-style boxes (PTD), partial-telescope half-slotted boxes (PTHS), design-style boxes with cover (SDC), half-slotted boxes with cover (HSC), double-covered boxes (DC), interlocking-covered boxes (IC), bulk bins, and double-thickness score-line boxes, among others. Folder style boxes include such types as one-piece folders (1PF), two-piece folders (2PF), three-piece folders (3PF), four-piece folders (4PF), wrap-around blanks, self-locking trays, tuck folders, and one-piece telescopes (1PT) among others. Slide-type boxes include such types as double-side boxes (DS), and triple-side boxes (TS), among others. Rigid boxes include Bliss boxes and recessed-end boxes, among others. There are also self-erecting boxes, and numerous interior forms for boxes.
In the industry, the terms “case” and “box” are often used interchangeably. These terms each refer to a large, usually rectangular container made out of paperboard which is designed to hold a given number (e.g. 12 or 24) of smaller units such as cartons, bottles, cans, or produce pieces.
Bliss-type boxes have special characteristics which make them highly desirable for use in bulk packing industries such as meats, explosives, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other areas where strong construction and stacking strength are important. Bliss boxes were first developed in the 1920s, and were the subject of a number of early U.S. patents (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,697,709 and 1,974,527). Generally speaking, a Bliss box is made of three distinct pieces of paperboard material. The first is an elongated piece of material, sometimes called a body matt (or main blank or main part), which is folded around itself in the shape of a rectangular tube forming the bottom, sides and top of the final box. In some Bliss-type boxes, separate end panels, usually mirror-images of each other, are attached to the open end of the larger piece to form the completed Bliss box. The corners of the side panels typically fold over the corners of the front and back panels of the body matt on the outside, giving the Bliss style of box good corner and stacking strength. The bottom of the Bliss box is generally solid which avoids the need for bottom sealing.
Because of its three-part construction, Bliss style boxes offer a wide range of variations in both construction and materials. For example, the end panels may or may not include upper flaps for closing the top of the box. The body matt may include two large flaps (one on either side) to form the top of the box so that these flaps either meet or overlap; or, there may be only one large top flap (with or without a tuck-in lip) provided to form the top of the Bliss box. Top flaps from the side panels may or may not be provided, or some other suitable combination of large or small flaps from the side panels and body matt may be employed.
Similarly, the corner-area overlaps provided by the side panels may vary widely depending upon the degree of strength required. In some Bliss box variations, flaps are provided along the sides of the body matt so that, when the body matt is folded over itself, these flaps create a frame on either end to which the side panels may be attached (on the inside of the body matt). This way, instead of side-panel flaps overlapping the outside of the body matt corners for attachment and strength, body matt flaps in these corners overlap the side panels. Such frames may be made with panels along both sides as well as the bottom end of the body matt. In many cases, the side panels and the body matt may be made of different paperboard materials (e.g., corrugated body matt and linerboard side panels). The overlapping areas of Bliss boxes are generally glued together, but may also be adhered using staples, rivets, or other similar attachment devices.
The process of manufacturing Bliss boxes first requires the creation of the three pieces of the box. The size and shape of the final box is determined by the dimensions of these pieces which are, in turn, determined by the ultimate product to be placed therein. Once these dimensions are determined, the appropriate method and amount of top flap overlap is determined, as well as the manner and amount of attachment of the side panels to the body matt.
Special Bliss box forming machines have been developed over the years to assemble these three paperboard pieces into the completed Bliss box. Different styles of such container-forming machines have been in existence for many years; however, such machines are generally limited to forming only the most basic of the many possible variations of Bliss boxes.
The need has now arisen for a container in which the main blank has flaps, extending from the side panels, for folding and completing the ends of a box. In contrast to conventional Bliss boxes where end panels are used to attach to and wrap around edges of the side panels, side support parts are provided inside the formed body matt such that the side panel flaps overlap the side support parts. The side support parts provide increased structural integrity as opposed to that offered by end panels, while at the same time eliminating the possibility that the end panels will detach from the side panels resulting to carton failure. Further structural stability can be provided by bottom flaps, extending from the bottom panel, for folding over the side flaps.
Unfortunately, conventional forming machines are incapable of forming such a special reinforced container, in part because of the order in which the various portions of the box are formed; mainly, the bottom flaps are folded over the side flaps which are folded over the support parts.
Therefore, there is a need for systems, apparatuses, and methods that can form a Bliss style container having side flaps extending from side panels, bottom flaps extending from a bottom panel, and side support parts.